Businesses accept sea lion plans

An initial set of proposals designed to discourage sea lions from

staying in Newport Harbor won’t damage waterfront businesses,

business leaders agreed.

But the proposals probably won’t make much of a difference to the

noisy pinnipeds, either.

“They’re just grasping at straws to do something,” said Mark

Silvey, chairman of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce’s marine

committee, said of city plans for dealing with the sea lions.

For the past several months, sea lions have bothered residents

with their loud barking, and the animals’ habit of climbing onto

boats has proven an annoyance to boaters. California sea lions are

protected by federal law under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The

law makes it a crime to kill, injure or harass sea lions. Both Silvey

and Newport Beach harbor commissioner Ralph Rodheim agreed the

federal law limits local authorities.

The Newport Beach harbor commission voted to pass the set of

proposals on to the City Council in mid-September. Harbor resources

supervisor Chris Miller said the proposals are still being worked

out, and the City Council could consider them as early as its Oct. 11

meeting.

A draft of the regulations shows the proposals, as currently

written, are designed to deny food and resting places to sea lions.

The proposals would prohibit the feeding of sea lions in the harbor

and place restrictions on fishing boats in order to prevent fish

parts and bait from ending up in harbor waters.

Rodheim acknowledged that the proposals would not keep sea lions

away from the harbor. Still, he views the idea as a step forward.

“Realistically, is it going to make a huge difference? No it’s

not,” Rodheim said.

“Every little bit helps,” he added.

If the city takes no action in regard to sea lions, Rodheim

expects more will swim into the harbor in the spring.

If the City Council enacts the proposals, Silvey does not expect

them to be a thorn in the side for waterfront businesses. He said

fishing vessels do not make a habit of discarding fish parts into the

harbor. Ted Blaine, a marketing associate for Newport Landing

Sportfishing, said the proposals would not require his company to

change its procedures.

“It’s stuff we’re already doing,” Blaine said.

Though it’s likely no consolation to those bothered by the sea

lions, the animals have gotten Newport Beach a sizable share of media

exposure. Sea lion stories have been picked up by newspapers around

the United States, and even the Times of London published an article

on the local pinnipeds.